Pipe-line coating and wrapping machine



Feb. 27, 1945.

A. o. MICKELSON PIPELINE COATING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10,1941 9 Shuts-Shoot 1 7 Feb. 27, 1945. A. o. MICKELSON PIPELINE- COATINGAND WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 27, 1945.A. o. MICKELSON 2,370,254

PIPELINE COATING AND WRAPPING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 10,1941 INVENTOR. dZ/f'ad a fizkeisarz' Feb. 27, 1945. A. o. MICKELSONPIPELINE COATING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1941 9 Sheets-Sheet4 Feb. 27, 1945.

A. O. MICKELSON PIPELINE COATING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10,1941 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 27, 1945. A. o. MICKELSON 2,370,254

PIPELINE COATING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Filed NOV. 10, 1941 9 Sheets-Sheet6 INVENTOR.

Feb. 27, 1945. A. o. MICKELSON PIPELINE COATING AND WRAPPING MACHINE 9Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Nov. 10 1941 Feb. 27, 1945. A. o. MlcKELsoNPIPELINE COATING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Filed NOV. 10, 1941 9 Sheets-Sheet8 Feb. 27, 1945. A. o. MICKELSON PIPELINE COATING AND WRAPPING MACHINEFiled Nov. 10, 1941 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE-LINE. COATINGAND WRAPPING MACHINE Application November 10, 1941, Serial No. 418,475

9 Claims.

This invention relates to power driven coating and wrapping machinesadapted to travel along a pipeline and to apply a uniform layer ofcoating material thereto and to spiral wrap a layer or layers ofsuitable wrapping material over the coating material.

It is a main object of the invention to provide a new and improvedcombined coating and wrapping machine that is of simple construction andis rugged enough to withstand the hard usage to which machines of thistype are subjected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coating and wrappingmachine that is selfbalancing and capable of travellingalon a pipelineunattended.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of a coatingand wrapping machine capable of being used on pipelines of differentdiameters and capable of being quickly changed from one size of pipelineto another.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of awrapping head for a coating and wrapping machine capable of applying alayer or layers of tight wrapped wrinkle-free wrapping and readilyadjustable to the desired lap and spacing of laps between adjacentlayers.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision or awrapping head wherein tension and angle of wrap of the wrapping materialare maintained independently of the diameter of the roll of wrappingmaterial.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of a. newand improved coating shoe capable of being supplied with coatingmaterial either from the bottom or from the top of the shoe and capableof being quickly adjusted to supply a desired thickness of coatingmaterial to the pipeline.

Further objects of the invention, not specifically mentioned here, willbe apparent from the detailed description and claims which follow,reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a preferredembodiment of the invention is shown by way of example and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the machine in place on apipeline;

Figure 2 is a top side plan view. of the machine: Figure 3 is an endview taken from the front or leading end of the machine with parts cutaway;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal view, partly in section along the line 4-4 oiFigures 2 and 3, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing thedriving gears for the traction rolls;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken sub- 5 stantially along theline 5-5 of Figure 2, showing particularly the traction rollarrangement;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement foraccommodatin the machine to pipelines of various diameters;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line'|i of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing thereversing gears and clutches of the pump drive mechanism;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8of Figure 9, looking in the direction of the arrows and showingparticularly the coating shoe centering mechanism;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary end view of the coating shoe, partly insection and taken from the front or leading end of the coating shoe;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Ill-l0 ofFigure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing particularlythe splash guard apron;

Figure 11 is a plan view of the wrapping head mechanism; and

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the linel2l 2 of Figure 11, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Traveliners or machines which are supported upon and travel along apipeline and apply thereto a coating of suitable coating material andover-wrap that material with a spiral wrap of suitable wrapping materialapplied either in a single layer or in a plurality of layers, are old inthe prior art of which I am aware. The present invention is broadly animprovement upon these prior art devices. The prior art machines 01'this type have invariably been top heavy by reason of the fact that thecenter of gravity of the machine is above th axis of the pipeline and asa result, it has been necessary to provide a walking wheel or a walkingbeam supported by a workman to steady the machine on the pipe line.Owing to the roughness of the terrain in which pipelines are frequentlylaid, walking beams are most commonly employed and during the entiretime that the machine is in operating position, a workman must bestationed on the walking beam to steady the machine.

As the result of this fact, river crossings and the likehave beendimcult to coat and wrap with existing machines by reason of the factthat it has been very difllcult to steady the machine while it istravelling on the section of pipeline suspended above the river.

In the machine of the present invention, the c n er of gravity ismaintained below the axis of the pipe with the result that the machineis inherently balanced and capabl of travelling along a pipe linewithout steadying, thereby releasing for other work the workman who hasheretofore been required for steadying the machine and also permittingmachines travelling across a river crossing without danger of tippingover.

In the machines of the prior art of which I am aware, the framework ofthe machine has been supported upon the pipeline by frusto-conicaltraction rollers that are mounted upon a shaft journalled to the frameof the machine and extending transversely thereof, traction rolls ofthis type being clearly shown in the Patent No. 2,188,001 issued toDuaei, et al., January 23, 1940. These traction rollers have been keyedto the shafts upon which they are mounted and capable of adjustmentlongitudinally of the shafts to permit adjusting the machine topipelines of various diameters. While an arrangement of this type isvery satisfactory in a machine which is designed to apply only a film ofcoating material to the pipeline, its use in a combined coating andwrapping machine has resulted in difllculties.

The wrapping head mechanisms of such combined machines have invariablyemployed a ring gear mounted upon the framework of the machine andcapable of rotation around the pipeline. The ring gear carries suitablewrapping head mechanisms and if the layer or layers of wrapping materialare to be applied to the pipeline in wrinkle free condition, it isimperative that the center of rotation of the ring gear coincide exactlywith the axis of the pipeline. In order to accomplish this condition inthe machines of the prior art of which I am aware, it has been necessaryto provide arrangements for adjusting the ring gear vertically andtransversely of the machine framework so that when the relative positionof the framework and axis of the pipe is altered by moving the tractionrollers on their shafts, a corresponding altering of the relativeposition of the ring gear and machine framework can be achieved tocenter the ring gear on the axis of the pipeline.

In the machine of the present invention, bevel traction rollers arereplaced by traction disks fixed upon axles which are disposed at anglesof 45 from the vertical and journalled on the framework of the machinein such a position that the axes of the axle intersect on the medianline of the machine, which median line lies in a vertical plane throughthe axis of the pipe. The traction disks being mounted at right anglesto the axis of their axle engage the pipeline at angles of 45 from thisvertical plane and when it is desired to change the machine from onesize pipeline to another, disks of the proper diameter are substituted,these disks maintaining the point of intersection of the axes of theaxles at a fixed distance above the axis of the pipeline with the resultthat the ring gear is centered upon the axis of the pipeline and neednot be chine must be equipped with a coating shoe that is capable ofapplying a holiday free film of coating material to the pipeline. Forthis purpose, I prefer to use a coating shoe of the general type shownin the co-pending application of Henry, Serial No. 390,244 filed April25, 1941, now Patent No. 2,305,005 issued December 15, 1942. Thiscoating shoe, which can be fed with coating material either fromthebottom or top, as desired, completely encircles the pipeline and isspaced therefrom a very considerable distance so that when the shoe isfilled with coating material; the pipeline is encircled by a bath ofmaterial which bath has appreciable thickness. The ends of the shoe areprovided with rings, the leading one of which engages the pipeline andthe trailing ring is spaced from the pipeline a distance depending uponthe desired thickness of the film of coating material to be applied bythe shoe. In the improved shoe shown in the-draw ings by way of example,this trailing edge ring is made of two sections, one of which is fixedin the shoe and the'other is removable to permit substitution of adifferent ring when it is desired to alter the thickness of coatingmaterial to be applied to the pipeline.

The wrapping mechanisms of the prior art have invariably extended a webof coating material from a roll of such material that is supported upona suitable reel on the ring gear directly to the pipeline with theresult that the angle of engagement of the web and pipeline vary as thespool of material is paid out. Furthermore, tension has been applied tothe web by braking mechanisms engaging the spool with -the result thatthe tension varies as the diameter of the roll on the spool decreases.

In the wrapping mechanism shown in the drawings, the web is extendedfrom the reel in an S-shaped path around a tensioning bar and a guidebar, which bars are set at the proper angle to give the desired angle ofengagement of the web'and pipeline and to put the desired tension on theweb, these settings remaining constant regardless of the diameter of theroll of material on the reel with the result that the material can bewrapped on the pipeline in a wrinkle free spiral wrap of uniformtightness.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, particularly Figures 1, 2and 3, it will be seen that the machine illustrated consists of a framehaving longitudinally extending members I and 2 disposed parallel toeach other and located above the pipeline 2. Members I and 2 mayconveniently be angles. At the front or leading end of the machine,frame members I and 2 extend downwardly and connect with a platform 4,which platform is generally U-shaped and is re-enforced by suitable ribsI extending over the pipeline. The lower edges of these ribs I arearcuate in shape, as shown at 6 in Figure 3, to provide clearance forthe pipeline. At the rear of the machine, frame members I and 2 connectwith a generally circular mounting plate member I which serves as amounting base for the ring gear. This plate 1 may be cut away at itslower most portion to permit placing the machine on the pipeline.Extending from the overhanging edges of the front platform I, rearwardlyand downwardly to the back plate I, are side frame members I, whichmembers mayconveniently be channels.

Approximately at the middle of the machine,

front to back, is a generally U-shaped frame I and 2 are connectedtogether by U-shaped straps l4 which serve also as mounting bases forelectric motor may be substituted if desired. The

engine 20 is connected by a drive chain 2| to a main shaft 22, best seenin Figure 4. Shaft 22 is supported in suitable bearings 23 that aremounted upon the frame members I 4 and extends rearwardly of themachineto a main clutch 24 through which a continuation shaft 22'extends into a gear box 25 and through that gear box, terminating in asprocket wheel 26 by which the ring gear is driven through a drivingchain 21, as will presently appear. Shaft 22 carries a sprocket wheel 28which is encircled by a chain 29 that extends to a pump drive andreversing gear 33.

As will'be seen in Figure 4, shaft 22' leading from the clutch andthrough the gear box 25 is connected by a train of reduction gears 3| toa propelling shaft 32 that is disposed on the median line of the machinebetween frame members I and 2. The shafts and gears in gear box 25 aresupported in suitable low friction bearings, shown as ball bearings, andrun in oil or grease which is retained in the gear box by suitablegrease retainers.

Extending between the frame members I and 2 and forming a part of themain framework of the machine are gear boxes 33 and 34 into which shaft32 extends and is supported by suitable bearings. As will be seen bestin Figure 5, gear box 33 is formed with two bearing housings 36 and 31that depend downwardly and outwardly from the frame members i and 2 andare adapted to receive suitable bearings 38 by which traction axles 39are supportedv in the gear box. Within the gear box the axles 39 areconnected together by suitable bevel gears 40 that are keyed to theaxles to prevent rotation of the gear with respect to the axle. One ofthe axles also carries a bevel gear M of larger diameter which gear 48is meshed with a bevel gear 42 that is keyed on the propelling shaft 32.Gear box 34 is an exact duplicate of the gear box 33 and need not beexplained in further detail herein.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that with the engine 20 runningand shaft 22 rotating when the clutch 24 is engaged, shaft 22' will berotated and with it through the reduction gears 3i, shaft 32 will rotateat a lower speed. Rotation of shaft 32 causes traction axles 39 to berotated for a purpose which will presently appear.

Traction axles 39 extend beyond the housings 35 and 37 to receive atraction disk 50, the construction of which is best seen in Figure 5. Asshown, this disk consists of a back plate keyed to the axle andengagedby a traction ring 52 which ring may be composed of a rubberizedfabric capable of maintaining a high frictional engagement with thepipeline without damaging the priming material thereon. The tractionring 52 is clamped against the disk 5| by a clamping ring 53 threadedupon the hub portion 54 of the disk 5|! and tightened thereon by aspanner wrench engaging the spanner holes '55 in the disk 53.

The traction roll thus described is keyed to and secured on the,projecting end of the axle 39 by a suitable nut and washer so that theroll may be Figure 6, the axis 51 of one readily removedas desired. Aswill be seen in action axle 39 intersects the axis 58 of the companiontraction axle 39 at a point "which lies in a vertical plane extendingthrough the axis 9| of the pipeline 3. The axis of propelling shaft 32coincides with the point of intersection of the axes 51 and 55.

Traction wheels 50 supported upon the axles 39 are disposed so that themedian plane 52 through the traction wheel on axle 51 intersects,

the median plane 83 through the traction wheel on axle 58 on the axis SIof the pipeline 3. By

this arrangement, the point 59 is maintained at a fixed distance 64above the axis 6| of the pipeline.

As shown in the drawings, axes 51 and 58 are each disposed at an angleof 45 from the plane 90, this angle being preferred. If desired,however, the angle between the axes and the plane 53 could be as littleas 30 or asmuch as A 30 angle would result in moving the traction wheelscloser to the horizontal diameter of the pipeline and increasing theangle to 60 would result in moving the traction wheels nearer the plane60. Obviously, with the traction wheels nearer the plane 60, verticalsupport is increased and lateral support diminished and by moving thetraction wheels nearer the horizontal diameter of the pipeline, that isby making the angle between the axes and the plane 60 a 30 angle,horizontal support is increased and vertical support lessened. The 45angle shown balances the horizontal and vertical support and ispreferred alill though this angle may be varied.

Traveliners are usually built to work on several sizes of pipelines, forexample a machine might be designed to handle 4, 6 and 8 inch pipelines,another machine 8, 10, 12 and 14 inch and a larger machine might handleall pipeline sizes from 14 to 26 inches.

When it is desired to accommodate the machine to a pipeline of smallerdiameter than shown in the drawings, traction rolls 50 are removed fromtheir respective axles and replaced by larger diameter traction rolls50', the rolls 50' being of such.diameter that the distance 64 betweenthe axis of the pipeline and the intersection of traction axles 51 and58 is exactly the same as before. Thus it will be seen that byinterchanging traction rolls, the machine can be accommodated topipelines of various diameters without altering the relative position ofthe frame with respect to the axis of the pipeline.

It will frequently happen that the machine will have to run downhill onthe pipeline, in which case, the weight of the machine will aid ratherthan retard its travel. To prevent the machine from going too fast underthese circumstances, abrake drum 35 is keyed to shaft 32 and engaged bya suitable brake band 35 which can be adjusted to keep the machine speedat a desired value. Under most circumstances,- brake band 35' will beloosened and will not retard the machine.

As will be bestseen in Figure 3, the back plate 1 is generally c-shapedand is disposed with its open end down to permit removing the machinefrom a pipeline. Pivotally mounted upon this platel are a plurality ofv-groove pulleys or rollers 10. These rollers engage the inside surfaceof a ring gear 1m to support the'gear, on the machine. Fixed upon thering gear is an annulus plate H having a central opening of a diameterlarger than the diameter of the largest pipeline the machine is adaptedto handle. The plate II is thus disposed substantially parallel to theback plate 1 and its outer periphery is disposed in juxtaposition to aflange on plate 1 to form an enclosed space around the ring gear Ila.

Ring gear Ila has external teeth that are engaged by a pinion 12, Figure2, that is disposed within the enclosure formed by plates 1 and H.Pinion 12 is loosely mounted upon a shaft 13 that projects through theback plate 1. The combination of plate and ring gear shown in thedrawings and used in a preferred embodiment of the invention is inreality a ring gear and for convenience herein is hereinafter referredto as ring gear I la.

A sprocket wheel 14 keyed upon shaft 13 is engaged by the chain 21 sothat shaft 13 will be driven by rotation of themain shaft 22'. A clutch15 when engaged with its companion member carried by pinion 12 keys thatpinion to the shaft 13 so that the ring gear will be rotated. Mountingrollers are located upon the plate I so that with the frame of themachine located with respect to the axis of the pipe, as hereinbeforeexplained, ring gear Ila will be centered upon that axis. If desired,ring gear Ha may be provided with a removable section which can beregistered with a gap in the mounting plate and removed to permitplacing the machine on a pipeline. a

As shown in the drawings, the ring. gear will be driven at constantspeed with respect to the rotation of the traction rolls 58, that is,the ring gear will make a fixed number of revolutions around thepipeline as the machine is travelling a fixed distance therealong. Inorder to vary the number of revolutions of travel of the ring gear withrespect to the speed of travel of the machine along the pipeline therebyto alter the angle of wrap and with it the degree of lap, sprocketwheels 28 and .14 are replaced by other sprocket wheels having thecorrect number of teeth to give the desired rotation of the ring gear.

As will be seen in Figures 11 and 12, the wrapping mechanism carried onthe plate H consists of a mounting bracket 80 fixed upon the plate bysuitable bolts 8| and spaced therefrom by a suitable spacer 82. Bracket88 carries clamps 83 which extend around and tightly clamp a mountingbar 84. Fixed upon this mounting bar by a suitable clevis clamp 85 is ashaft 86 u n which is mounted a paper spindle indicated g erally at '81.As shown, this spindle consists of a cam sleeve 88 which is engaged bylugs 88 that extend through suitable slots in an outersleeve 98, whichsleeves and cams are held in position on the shaft by a tapered, sleeve9| which in turn is secured on the shaft by a collar 82. Sleeve 88carries a disk 93' so that a roll of wrapping material placed on thespindle so formed will be positioned in a fixed position with respect tothe mounting bar 84. The roll, not shown, is secured on the spindle by asuitable flange plate 83 that islocked upon the sleeve 8|.by suitablemeans such as the stud screw 94. I

Also mounted upon the mounting bar 84 by suitable clevis clamp 85 is aguide bar 86 which is disposed with its axis parallel to the axis of thespindle 86. Guide bar 88 serves as a support for tensioning bar 91 whichis secured thereto by a suitable clevis clamp 98 which permits rotationof the terisioning bar around the guide bar.

As will be seen in Figure 2, the web of wrapping material from the rollcarried on spindle 88 extends in a. generally S-shaped path, firstaround the tensioning bar 81 and then around the guide bar 96 to thepipeline 3. Guide bar 88 is adjusted so that the web of wrappingmaterial lies in a plane that is tangential to the pipeline at the lineof contact of the wrapping material therewith and tangential to theguide bar I! along the line of departure of the web of materialtherefrom and so that this line of departure is at right angles to theedges of the web of material. I

Fixed upon the disk 93' of the reel is a brake drum 99 which is engagedby a brake band I", which band is tensioned by suitable tensioning rodIUI with a light tension that is just sufficient to keep the roll ofmaterial from unwinding too freely. The main tension on the web ofwrapping material is applied by the friction of tension bar 91 and guidebar 96 and when once set to a desired value remains constantirrespective of the diameter of the roll of material on the spindle.

As shown in Figure 1, the ring gear H is provided with two wrappingmechanisms both of which are mounted directly on the ring gear with--out the use of spacing members 82. An arrange ment of this kind isemployed when it is desired to apply a double lead single wrap wrapperon the pipeline. Both spindles are provided with the same kind ofwrapping material and the ring gear is driven at a relatively slow speedwith respect to the travel of the machine along the pipeline.

In some instances, it may be necessary to apply a single lead singlelayer wrapper on the pipeline, in which case, one winding mechanism maybe omitted-and suitable counterweights substituted therefor to keep themachine in balance.

The sprockets through which the ring gear is driven are changed so thatthe ring gear makes approximately twice as many revolutions as would berequired for a double wrap.

In other instances, a single lead double layer wrap may be required, inwhich case, wrapping material of one kind is placed next to the pipelineand is overlaid with a layer of a different kind of material. wrappingsof this type, it is preferable to stagger the laps so that the lap ofthe outer layer falls midway between the laps of the inner layer ofwrapping material. Spacing blocks 82 are employed for this purpose,these blocks being of such thickness as to position one of the wrappingheads outwardly from the ring gear II sufliciently to stagger the lap inthe web put on by that mechanism with respect to the lap in the web puton by the mechanism that is directly adjacent the ring gear.

If desired, plate 1| may be provided with four wrapping mechanisms so asto enable the machine to put a double lead, double wrap wrapper on thepipeline. With four spindles on the plate and each carrying a material,the machine becomes somewhat tail heavy and for this reason suchpractice is'not ordinarily followed although the machine is capable offollowing such procedure.

Spacing'lug 82 in Figure 11 is shown as being relatively thin, thisparticular showing being by way of example and merely to illustrate themanner in which-"one wrapping mechanism is spaced away from the ringgear as required. Spacing blocks of various thicknesses may be pro--vided to secure any desired spacing of the laps on Usually in doublethickness full spool of wrapping tudinally of molmting bar 64 sothat theline of contact of the web of material on the pipe from one mechanismwill be exactly 180 fromthe line of contact of the web of material fromthe other mechanism, that is, the two webs engage the pipeline atdiametrically opposite points. When four wrapping mechanisms are usedthe guide bars 96 are adjusted so that adjacent lines of contact of weband pipeline will be 90 apart.

In order'to supply coating material to the pipeline, a tank H is flxedtomounting brackets III and H2 which brackets are in-turn pivoted to framemembers I0. 'Also attached to mounting bars III and H2 are tanklevelling devices II3 which consist of a suitable rod carrying at itsupper end a threaded shaft II4 which engages a nut housed within thelevelling housings I I5. A shaft II6 extending transversely of themachine is maintained in driving connection with the levelling nuts sothat as one of, the handles II1 on this shaft I I6 is rotated in onedirection, let 'elling bars II3 will be raised to 'raise the back end ofthe tank and when the handles are rotated in an opposite direction, theback end of the tank will be lowered.

Mounted within the tank is a-Iheating chamber so that heat from asuitable gtorch I20 may keepthe coating material in the tank'at properapplication temperature, the torch being fed. 6

with fuel from a fuel tank I2I carried'on the frame of the machine. Theparticul 'r construction of the tankand heating devices h'erefor will bereadily understood by one skilled in the art and are explained morefully iii ,Patent No.

1,951,085 issued to Cumfer March 13, 1934, to which patent reference ismade for those details.

Mounted within the tank and submerged in the coating material therein isa pump I30 which may be conveniently a positive displacement pump of thegear type although other pumps may be used. The pump is driven throughchain 26 engaging a sprocket on the main drive shaft I32 and a sprocketI3I on the shaft I32 of the pump gear box'and reversing mechanism bestseen in Figure 7. Mounted within this gear box and loosely upon theshaft I32 are bevel gears I33 and I34 which are both constantlymeshedwith a bevel gear I35 that is keyed upon a shaft I36, which shaft issupported in suitable bearings I31 in the gear box. An articulatedpump'drive shaft, shown in the drawings as consisting of a universaljoint I38 keyed toshaft I36 and telescoping connection I39 and universaljoint I40, connects the pump to the gear box. Keyed upon the shaft I32but slidable therealong are clutch elements I and I42 which elements areconnected together by a collar I43 that is engaged'by operating linksI44 on the operating shaft I45.

Handles I46 and I41, Figure 2, are fixed upon opposite ends of shaftI45. By rotating the shaft I45 in one direction, say in a clockwisedirection, Figure '7, clutch element I is moved to the left into drivingengagement with bevel gear I33 to key that gear to the shaft I32,thereby to rotate the pump in one direction. A movement of operatingshaft I45 in a reverseor counterclockwise direction first disengages theclutch member I4I from bevel gear I33 and subsequently connects clutchmember I42 to bevel gear I34, thereby to cause the pump to be driven inan opposite direction.

Gear box containing gears I33, I34 and I35 is preferably filled with oilor other suitable lubricant which is retained in the box by grease re-'tainers I48 to properly lubricate the bearings and other devices in thegear box. Connected to the outlet side of the pump I 30 is a flexibletubing I50 which may be connected 5 by suitable union I5I to the bottomof a coating shoe I52, thereby to feed coating material to that. shoefrom the bottom or, if desired, the flexible tubing I50 may be connectedto piping I53 which 1 extends upwardly along the plate 1 and disl0charges into the funnel-like portion I54 at the top of the shoe. Asuitable cap is placed upon coupling I5I to close off the bottom of theshoe when the same is being fed from the top.

The coating shoe I52 is of the general type 5 shown in theabovementioned co-pending application of Henry and consists of agenerally cylindrical housing encircling the pipe and flexibly supportedupon the frame of the machine by suitable means, such as cable I55 whichencircles a shaft I56 that is resiliently mounted on the frame bysuitable means such as springs I51. The shaft is equipped with a ratchetand pawl I56 so that the shoe can be drawn into tight engagement withthe pipe. A chain or other suitable drag link I59 is connected at oneend to the shoe and at the other end to a hook carried on thereenforcing rib II of the frame member I0 to drag {the shoe along thepipe as the machine travels therealong.

As will be seen best in Figures 8 and 9, the coating shoe consists of anouter generally cylindrical wall I60 that is spaced away from thepipeline 3 and carries at its front end a ring I 6| which contains anarcuate inner surface I62 forming an entrance port leading into theshoe. Preferably the ring I6I and the cylindrical wall are formed inthree sections to permitopening the shoe to facilitate its removal fromthe pipe and to permit the shoe to open sufiiciently to pass over weldsand other obstructions in the pipeline. Each section of the ring I 6|carries two centering skids I63 pivoted in suitable slots in the ringand urged inwardly of the shoe "and against the pipeline by adjustingscrews I64 which are threaded through suitable bushings in thecylindrical member I60 and are locked in place by lock nuts I65.

'At the rear or trailing end of the shoe, member I 60 carries aring I66which is formed with an innertapered wall I61 that is spaced from theoutside surface of the pipeline and is shouldered at I68 to receive asecond ring I69 that is atstud screws I10. The inner wall of the ringI69 is turned on a diameter equal to the outside diameter of thepipeline plus twice the desired 1 thickness of the film of coatingmaterial that is to be applied. The rings'I66 and I69 are also formed inthree sections. Each section of the ring carries two centering slidesI1I that are pivotally mounted to brackets I12 fixed on the insidesurface of the outer wall member I60 andare urged against the pipelineby adjusting screws I13 which are threaded through suitable collars locknuts I14. Through the adjustment of screws I13 and I64, the shoe is setin exact concentricity of the pipeline. Should a weld or otherobstruction in the pipeline be encountered, the sections 7 of the shoewill move apart slightly to permit the shoe to ride over theobstruction. If it is desired to vary the thickness of coating material,rings I69 are removed from the shoe and replaced by similar rings havingan inside diameter correct for the desired thickness of coating.

ta'ched theretoin any suitable manner such as by I in the outer wallmember I60 and retained by coating material brings will be seen inFigures In the operation'of the machine, after the tank IIO has beenfilled with coating material of proper application temperature and thegasoline engine 20 has place on the pipeline, pump I30 is started tofill the coating shoe with coating material, the excess flowing upwardlyand out of the funnel-like extension I54 of the shoe. This initial'flowof the coating shoe up to a sufiiciently high temperature that it doesnot chill the coating material, thereby insuring a proper application ofthe film of the material on the pipe.

As will be seen in Figure l, the rear pair of traction rollers 50 arerather close to the leading edge of the coating shoe and excess materialflowing out of the top of .the shoe may build up on the pipeline to suchan extent that there is danger that it might foul the traction rollers.To guard against a contingency of this kind, as l and 10, a gate I80 ispivotally mounted upon the frame members I and 2 and shaped to closelyembrace the top surface of the pipeline. The gate I80 is provided with awiper IOI of soft resilient material which engages the pipeline and isfixed upon the gate I80 in any bolts or by rivets. Coating materialflowing on to the shoe strikes the gate and is deflected downwardly overthe sides of the pipe without coming into contact with the tractionrolls. When thewrapping head ppin its operating lever I82 to connect theengine in driving relation with thetraction rolls, thereby causing themachine to travel along the pipe line and the wrapping head to revolvetherearound. Apron I80 trails along in the space between the tractionrolls and coating shoe withthe front end of the machine from jumping offof the pipe should the wrapping head become fouled. As shown in thedrawings, the nose wheel consists f brackets I90 and I9I which arepivotally mounted upon suitable bolts I92 that are extended through thefront platform of the machine. Pivotally mounted at the lower end of thearms I90 and NI are rollers I93 which maybe of the same generalconstruction of traction rollers 50f spring link I94 connects thebrackets I and I9I together and holds the nose rollers I03 in resilientconnection with the pipeline.

It will be noted that the control levers of the machine are all providedin duplicate so that the machine can be operated from either side of thepipeline.

The pump may independently of the traction rolls and the ring gear drivemay be disconnected so that the machine can be moved along the pipelinewithout revolving the ring gear therearound. Traction rolls 50 and thecoating shoe I52 are readily accessible from either side of the machineowing to the fact that the framework is open adjacent suitable manner,such as by has been filled with rolls of material and everything is inreadiness for operation, the main clutch 24 is operated by be operatedaxis of the pipeline and started and the coating shoe is in v there-enforcing flanges 5 of the median planes of move the machine thesedevices. The ring gear iscentered on the the wrapping mechanism carriedthereon can be readily adjusted to apply a wrinkle free spiral wrap onthe pipeline as the machine travels therealong. The center of gravity ofthe machine is below the axis of the pipeline so that no steadying ofthe machine thereon is necessary, -in fact, it has been found that ifthe machine is angle, it will soon right itself into a vertical positionas it travels along the line.

A machine'built in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention is possessed of many advantages. It is of simple ruggedconstruction and is not severely damaged even when dropped with thepipeline, as frequently happens. All working parts are fully protectedand for the most part run in oil or grease. Adjustments are made simpleby the use of interchangeable parts, all of which are readilyaccessible. The machine balances itself on a pipeline and requires fewermen to operate than do machines of the prior I art.

While I have chosen to show my invention by illustrating and describinga preferred embodiment of it, I have done so by way of example only, asthere are many modifications and adaptations which can be made by oneskilled. in the art withinthe teachings of the invention;

Having thus complied with the Statutes and shown and described apreferred embodiment of my invention, what I consider new and desire tohave protected by letters patent is pointed outin the appended claims;

what is claimed is: 4

1. In a pipeline coating and wrapping machine, a frame adapted toextendlongitudinally along a pipeline, a pair of bearing means fixedupon said frame, an axle supported ineach, one of said bearing means anddepending outwardly and downwardly therefrom, said bearing meanssupporting said axles so that the axes ofthe axles are disposed at acuteangles to 'a perpendicular plane through the longitudinal median-line ofsaid frame, and intersect in said-plane, a traction roll fixed upon thedepending end of each of said axles, a second pair of bearing meansfixed upon said frame,-an axle supported in each one of said second pairof bearing means and depending outwardly and downwardly therefrom, saidsecond bearing means supporting said second axles so that the axes ofthe axles are disposed at acute angles to said perpendicular planethrough the longitudinal median line of said frame and intersect in saidplane, a traction roll fixed upon the depending end of each of saidsecond axles, and means for rotating all of said axles at the samespeed, thereby to cause said traction rolls to along a pipeline engagedby said traction rolls.

2. A supporting and driving device for a pipe-- line coating machinecomprising, four disk-like traction rolls of equal diameter arranged inpairs and engaging the pipeline with one pair on each side of a verticalplane through the axis of the pipeline, means including bearings "andaxles depending downwardly and outwardly therefrom for supporting saidrolls so that a plane through the pair of side. of said vertical planeintersects a similar plane through the median planes of the pair ofrolls on the other side of said vertical plane on the axis of thepipeline, said axles being disposed so that the axis of the axlesupporting n. roll of one pair intersects the axis of the axle set onthe pipeline at an rolls on one supporting a corresponding roll of theother pair in said vertical plane through the axis of said pipeline,means for fixing said rolls on said axles, said means permitting readyremoval of the rolls to permit substituting rolls of larger diameter toaccommodate the machine to a pipeline of small-' er diameter, and ,meansfor rotating said axles and rolls all at the same speed, thereby tocause the rolls to move the machine along the pipeline engaged b therolls.

3. In a pipeline coating and wrapping machine, a pair of spaced apartframe members extending longitudinally of the machine, a pair of earboxes disposed between and fixed to said frame members, a pair ofbearings formed in each gear box and extending downwardly and outwardlytherefrom below said frame members, a

traction 'axle in each bearing extending into the gear box andprojecting downwardly and outwardly from the bearing, bevel gears ineach gear box connecting together the pair of axles therein, a disk-liketraction roll fixed onv the projecting end of each axle, and drive meansfor rotating all of said axles at the same speed to cause said tractionrolls to move the machine along a pipeline engaged by the tractionrolls.

4. In a pipeline coating and wrapping machine, a frame adapted to extendlongitudinally.

, along a pipeline engaged by the traction rolls.

In a machine for coating and wrapping pipelines as the machine travelstherealong, a ring gear, means on said machine for mounting said ringgear thereon'for rotation around the axis of the pipeline as a center, aplurality "of wrapping assemblies mounted upon said ring gear, each ofsaid assemblies comprisin a mounting shaft spaced from and fixed on saidring gear with its axis parallel to the face thereof, an arbor fixed onsaid shaft and capable of limited rotation therearound to permit settingthe arbor at right angles to a web of wrapping material running fromtheassembly to the pipeline, a reel mounted on said arbor for rotationtherearound, a guide bar fixed upon said shaft and capable of limitedrotation therearound to permit setting the bar with its axis parallel tofrom with their axes parallel to the face of the ring, a correspondingplurality of arbors, means including a clevis fixed on each arboro andencircling one of said mounting bars for mounting the arbors with theiraxes at right angles .to the axes of the mounting bars, a reel carriedon each arbor and rotatable therearound, and adapted to hold a rollof'wrapping material, and a plurality of tensloning devices, one foreach reel and each comprising,-a guide bar, clevismeans for fixing thguide bar upon one of the mounting bars with its axis at right angles tothe ads of the mounting bar, and a. tensloning bar, means for mountingthe tensioning bar upon the guide bar with its axis parallel thereto,said means permitting the tensioning bar to be moved around the axis ofthe guide bar so that a web of wrapping material may be passed fromther'oll on' the reel in a generally S-shaped path around the tensloningbar and guide bar and from the guide bar to the pipeline to be wrappedthereon as the ring gear and devices carried thereby are rotated.

therearound.

7. A wrapping device for a pipeline coating and wrapping machinecomprising, a mounting bar, an arbor, clevis means fixed on said arborand encircling said mounting bar to mount the arbor thereon with itsaxis at right angles to the axis of the bar; a reel on saidarborrotatable therearound, collar means on the arbor for holding saidreel thereon, means on said reel for securing a roll of wrappingmaterial thereon,

the axis of said arbor and capable of longitudinal bar with respect tothe pipelineso that wrapping material will extend from the bar in aplane to the pipeline, a tensloning bar mounted on said guide bar andcapable of rotation around the guide bar to permit setting the same incontact with'the wrapping material to apply tension thereto, and meansincluding a pinion gear engaging the ring gear for rotating the same,thereby to rotate said wrapping assemblies around the pipeline.

6. In a machine for coating and wrapping pipelines as the machinetravels therealong and in which the wrapping is applied by a ringgear onthe machine rotated around the axis of the pipeline as a center. aplurality of mounting bars said means locking the roll against rotationwith respect to the reel, a guide rod, clevis means fixed on said guiderod and encircling. said mounting bar to mount the guide bar with itsaxis at-right angles to the axis of the mounting bar, a tensioning rod,clevis means fixed on saidtensioning rodand encircling said guide rod tomount the tensloning rod thereon with its axis parallel to the axis ofthe guide rod, said guide rod and tensloning rod being spaced from saidarbor so that a web ,of wrapping material may be passed from a roll onsaid reel in a generally s-shaped path around the tensioning bar andguide bar and from said guide bar to a pipeline-to be wrapped thereon asthe wrapping device is rotated around the pipeline, and means forrotating said wrapping device around the pipeline. v

8. In a machine for applyin protective materials to pipelines; a pair ofgear boxes, a pair of bearing housings projecting' downwardly andoutwardly from each one ofsaid gear boxes, a shaft in each of saidhousings projecting therefrom, bearing means in said housings supportingsaid shafts therein, a traction 'disk fixed on the projecting end ofeach of said'shafts, a frame carried by said gear boxes and disposedabove said traction disks, said frame being open adjacent said disks torender the disks readily accessible, a source of power on'saicl frame,and means including gears in said gear boxes for rotating said shaftsall at the same speed and in the same direction.

9. A machine for coating and wrapping pipelines that is adaptable topipelines" of diiferent diameters, comprising, a frame, bearings fixedupon said frame, axles rotatablysupported by said bearings and disposedat acute angles to a vertical plane, said axles extending beyond said.

mounted on the ring gear and spaced therewrapping means including a ringgear supported on said frame with the ring gear centered on the axis ofthe pipeline. said ring gear having an intemal diameter large enough toclear the largest pipeline on which the machine is adapted to fit, saidtraction rolls being removable from said axles and replaceable byrollsoi larger diameter to accommodate the machine to a pipeline ofsmaller diameter, said larger diameter rolls supporting said frame onthe pipeline in such position that said ring gear is centered on theaxis of the smaller pipeline, and means for rotating 5 Said axle andtraction rollers to move the machine along the pipeline.

ALFRED O. MICKELSON.

